Dia de los Muertos

Diego Rivera depicted the Day of the Dead in his fresco of the same name, Dia de Muertos (Fig. 8.25). The Day of the Dead has roots in Mexico and in Latin American countries and is celebrated November 1 and 2 (All Saint’s Day and All Soul’s Day), mixing Christian and Aztec beliefs. It is a celebratory and festive event, honoring dead ancestors. Look at Rivera’s fresco carefully for details of the celebration. You will see calaveras, or skulls, skeletons, sugar skulls, and skull masks. Compare this work to Jose Guadalupe Posada’s Las bravisimas calaveras guatemaltecas de Mora y de Morales (Fig. 1.16).

Research the traditions of Dia de los Muertos to discover some of the traditional crafts, food, and activities associated with the holiday. Create one of the traditional crafts, such as papel picado, or construct an altar to honor a deceased family member.

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